Apparatus for computing statistical data



June 14, 1932. c. BcSREL 1,863,098

APPARATUS FOR COMPUTING STATISTICAL DATA Filed Dec. 3, 1928 5 Shets-Sheet 1 June 14, 1932. BQREL 1,863,098

APPARATUS FOR COMPUTING STATISTICAL DATA Filed Dec. 5, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 MM m Aim W /gay June 14, 1932. c BQREL APPARATUS FOR COMPUTING STATISTICAL DATA Filed Dec. 5, 1928 s Sheets-Sheef 's II I 833.

FIG. 5.

84 847 FH'H l'h/ LT/4:2". 251! I June 14, 1932. c BQREL 1,863,098

APPARATUS FOR COMPUTING STATISTICAL DATA Filed Dec. 5, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 14, 1932. Q BQREL 1,863,098

APPARATUS FOR COMPUTING STATI STICAL DATA I File'd Dec. 5, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 gwumto o CHARLES 50/?54 mama Jim 14, 1932 UNITED STATES CHARLES BORED, OF GENEVA, SWITZERLAND APPARATUS FOR COMPUTING STATISTICAL DATA Application filed December 8, 1928, flerial No. 828,545, and in Switzerland. December 5, 1927.

The invention upon which this application for Letters Patent is based is an improvement in tabulating machines.

In this invention I use in combination with connection between the sending apparatus.

and the printing apparatus. The various data of a denomination ma be obtained either by a succession of impu es in a sin le transmission circuit, or b a sin 1e impu se in at least one of a plurality of clrcuits (for example four circuits) in accordance with a in combination or code.

The said printing apparatus comprises also a number of elements, each element corre-. sponding to a given denomination, and each element comprising at least one electromagnet cooperating with the said element by-receiving electrical impulses corresponding to one denomination of the data to be printed, and a series of movable types corresponding to the transmitted data, and adapted to be temporarily arrested in the printing position by a corresponding electromagnet in such manner that a number of the said elements may produce simultaneously the printing of characters corresponding to the different denominations of a datum.

As will be seen by the following description, the said printing apparatus'ma comprise means for automatically preventing the printing of superfluous zero figures. It may also comprise means for automatically producing the printin of zeros in the denominations following tl ie decimal point, should these zeros be followed by another figure. It may also comprise an additional element similar to the others, for producing automatically the variable and prescribed advance of the recording sheeet in the said printing apparatus, in conformity with a variable datum received from the above mentioned electric impulse This new and Farticulardisposition of the said elements 0 the installation permits it to render services of a variety which are not possible withthe devices now known.

- The accompanying drawings show by way of example two working forms of the said ap aratus.

igures 1 to 3 refer to a first method and mechanism in which each digit of the data to be transmitted is received in the form of a succession of'imp'ulses in a single circuit for each denomination.

Figure 1 shows diagramatically the mechanism for each denominational element of the apparatus.

Figure 2 shows diagramatically the mechanism for automatically advancing the printing or recording sheet; the position shown being that at the extreme end of the automatic advance. 1

Figure '3 shows a diagram of the electrical connections in'the apparatus.

Figures 4 to 8 refer to a second method and mechanism in which'eaoh digit of the data to be transmited is received in the form of a single impulse in the combination of at least four transmission circuits according to a code. Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of theregistering mechanism of a single denominational element, in the rest position.

Figure 5 isan elevation on a larger scale of a part of this registering mechanism.

I Figure 6 is a horizontal section of Figure 5. i

Figure 7 shows diagramatically the driving mechanism of the printing or recording sheet, in the end position after the automatic forward movement of the sheet.

Figure 8 shows the change in gear connections for Figure 7 if it is desired to move the sheet immediately after, instead of before, each entry.

Fig. 9 is an elevation showing the operation of the cross bar;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail of the disc 881 of Fig. 9, showing the operation of the cam and lift rods;

Fig. 11 is a detail illustrating the operation of the member 892 under the actuation of the lift rod 891 and cam 883; while Fig. 12 is a view illustrating the o eration of the contact closing cam 904 of ig. 9.

Transmission of data to printing apparatus by means of a sequence of impulses in a sin le' circuit for each digit (Figures 1 to 3). he data arerepresented by a certain number value in the decimal system, each digit by the numbers 0 to 9; These data are transmitted to the printing apparatus either from perforations in cards or strips, representing these data, or through transmission of data from another apparatus, for instance the data registered in a counter. For the sake of simplicity, the re 'stering or printing mechanism corresponding to a denomination will hereafter be designated element or denominational element. For the indication of months, English money, etc. the indicated value may extend to the number 12, the number position on the printing sheet then having double width. In registering decimals, one element corresponds to the point sign, shown by the value 13 and its transmission is efiected in any desired manner by the sending or transmitting apparatus. Asin the ordinary typewriter the sheet 701 (Figure 1) is placed on the 'platen 702. Each rotation of the driving shaft of the apparatus will hereafter be called a phase, in the course of which is carried out a transmission of a value to the various elements and also the various electrical and mechanical operations and movements necessary for.

the registration. In the first part of each phase a cam (Figs. 9 and 10) on the driving shaft of the apparatus raises the bar 703, acting on all the elements, from its lower into the upper (dotted) position, so that the projection 704 of the toothed rod 705 of each element is released. In the same interval of time the transmission of a datum takes place, for each digit of the said datum by the corresponding series of impulses energizing the electromagnet 706 of each element through the terminal 707 (Figure 3). Let for example the digit 3 be transmitted to the printing element shown in Figure 1. The circuit of the electromagnet 706' is closed three times through the terminal 707 and the armature attracted and released as often, the rod' 705 being thus raised up three teeth by means of the spring 709 and the lever 710, and the chain 711 being raised by three writing type units 712. For reasons given hereafter, not the desired fi re (here 3) but the next previous figure (fire 2) hereby comes under the working range of the hammer 713, and as this is usually the case, the electromagnet must in each element be energized again immediately after the transmission of the digit. This takes place automatically in each phase by a closing of the circuit through the terminal 714 (Figure 3), causing the relay 715 to close its armature contacts 716 as well as the circuit of the electromagnets 706 through next following element if the value indication in both elementsis zero. The result is that the excess zero numbers in the higher denominations are not printed but that the zero number in denominations following fhe point will always be transmitted to the sheet. The rod 705 and its extension 718 remain in the rest position, and the contacts 717 open, in the higher elements up to the point position as long as the digit is representing zero and as long as none of the preceding digits have a value different from zero. The contact-s 717 of the element of the point sign on the other hand ensure, as the rod 705 of this element is kept raised, the closing of the circuit of the relay 715 in the circuits of the elements following it. As will be seen, the position of the point sign is given as invariable; the point is always registered by the same element. As soon as this supplemental current has brought the prescribed type 712 into the correct height, the driving shaft of the installation releases the hammer 713 in each element, by releasing the common axis 719 driven by a tensioned spring, so that, in the usual manner the indications transmitted are printed on the sheet 701. The ink ribbon 720, the feed of which is insured in the usual manner, may be in two colours. By this, and by the use of an electromagnet, which in the case of a negative indication is energized by the action of a special impulse (index), and which in this case raises the ink ribbon carrier; figures of different signs can thus be registered in the same column of the sheet and be distinguished by their colour.

' On the completion of the transmission the bar 703 is brought into the lower normal position by the cam on the drivin shaft of the installation (Figs. 9 and 10), t e projections 704 and the rods 705 being carried therewith'and the spring 709 being again tensioned. At the same time a cam 883 Ill (Figs. 9 and 11) on the driving shaft rotates ,2) the rod 721 of which is moved the r s and down bythe similar means as 705 (Figure 1). In Figure 2 it is shown 1n the highest position, that is after the forward movement of the rinting sheet by the maximuin line space for example at the begin nin of the re istration of a new series of indications). he teeth 723 of the rod 721 drive the freely rotating toothed wheel 724 on the shaft 722 of the laten and the lever 725 with its catch726 xed on this wheel. The lifting of the rod 721 causes the catch 726 to engage in the toothed wheel 727 fitted on the platen 702 (Figure 1) so that before the registration of the data the platen 702 is'rotated and the sheet 701fed forward by the prescribed line space. The rod 721 Figure 2) is then again drawn downby the bar 703, the catch 726 sliding over the wheel 727 without effect.

In Figures 9-12, the relation between the drive shaft 880 and bar 703 is shown on a much smaller scale than has been employed hitherto. The bar 703 extends across all of the bars 705 of the apparatus, but for clearness only two bars have been designated, so that when the elements are inthe position shown in Fig. 1 all the noses 704 will be resting against the bar 703 under the action of springs 709.

880 is'the drive shaft of the apparatus; this shaft is driven uniformly by a motor which is not shown. The drive shaft carries sliding discs 881 and 882 keyed thereto. These two slides are identical. They serve to give reciprocating vertical motion to the bar 703. To that end, said bar is secured at its ends to the upper part of two vertical rods 898, 899 each sliding axially in two fixed guides 884,886, and 885, 887, respectivel These rods at their lower extremities have fingers 900 and 901, respectively, engaged in 'the grooves or slides 902 and 903, respectively, of the corresponding discs 881 and 882, respectively. Upon each turn of the shaft 880, the bar performs a complete up and down movement at the same time remaining in thesame vertical plane. In rising, it allows the bars 705 and the rods 721 (Fig.2) to rise under the eflfect of the springs .709 (Fig. 1) to the extent that the pawls 708 permit such action. In returning downwardly after the printing, .the bar 703 will return all the bars 704 and the rods 721 to the lower position.

The shaft 880 likewise carries a cam 883 (Figs. 9 and 11) controlling a vertical rod 891 having at its lower end a roller 891a resting upon the cam 883 under the action of a spring 896 pressing against a collar 897 of the rod 891 and bearing against. a fixed part 898a which at the same time serves to guide said rod. This rod 891 is also guided in 890. The cam 883 acts in such manner as to displace'the rod 891 upwardly,

against the action of the spring 896. This rod is connected at its upper'portion to an arm 892 secured tothe shaft 719 carrying the striking hammers 713 (Fig. 1). the action of the spring 896, the shaft 719 continually tends to rotate in a counterclockwise direction. The circumference of cam 883 is spiral shaped with a sharp recession in 895. When the roller 891a reaches 895, the rod 891 drops suddenly under the action of the spring 896 and causes the shaft 719 and the hammers 713-to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction (on Fignl). The blow is produced when the hammers encounter the types 712. Then, with the cam 883 continuing to rotate, the rod 891 is raised and the hammers 713 are returned to the initial Under position by rotation of the shaft 719 in a the terminal 714't0 the positive pole of the battery (not shown) after the bars 705 have completed their rising movement controlled.

by the impulses received from the data sending apparatus. 906 is an element made of insulating material. tacts 905 has the result of sending an impulse through the relay .715 (Fig.- 3) which immediatel'yis energized and simultaneous ly closes .all its contacts716. Across the contacts 716- now closed and across the contacts 717 which have been closed b'y the bars 705 (see Fig. 1) the impulse coming from 714 reaches the electromagnets 706. The electromagnets 706 which receive this supplemental impulse attract their armature 708 (Fig. 1) which permits the corresponding bars 705 to rise a step. All the movements of a phase are thus concluded and during the following rotation of the driving This closing of conshaft of the apparatus further data may be 7 registered on the next line of the sheet.

By introducing a. graduated switch the Y appamagnets of the element. The element of Figure 4 is provided with four electromagnets 830 and with twelve locking rods 831 to 842f which permit-the registration in the use g the decimal system, of eleven different numerals (0 to as well as the'pomt. W1th the same electromagnets and 17 looking rods a maximum of 16, and with 6 electromagnets and 33 locking rods a maximum of '32, different signs (letters, numerals, etc.)

could be registered by the element. 1

The electromagnets 830 (Fig. 4) of the element, energized by the sending or transmitting apparatus, attract their armatures pins 8520f which can engage in a tooth indentation'of one of the latch bars whlch are 843, and by the movement of the rod 844 and the bell-crank lever 845, the corresponding latch bars 846 to 849 are raised. Each looking rod- 831 842 carries four pins corresponding to, and arranged to the right of, the

four toothed latch bars 846849. These pins are placed either near the lower edge of the respective rod 831-842, and are then marked 853, or near' the upper edge of the 'rod' at which time they are marked 852.

The pins are so arranged that they permit the displacement to t e left of only one locking rod 831-842 for each case when either none, one, or a combination of latch bars 846-849 are raised. As soon as the electromagnets 830 are energized, the toothed cross rod 850 is lowered and only that locking rod 832 to 842 is forced to the left by the pressure of the spring 851, the upper not raised and'the lower pins 853 of which engage in a tooth indentation of the raised latch bars 846 to 849. The cross bar 854 makes an upward and a downward movement, the rod 855 and the type 856 following the upward movement until the nose or rojection 857 is stopped by the released ihcking rod 842. Of-these the locking rod 832 corresponds to the zero to be registered,

- and the locking rod841 to the number 10.

. By raising the latch bars 846 and 847, the bar 842 is released and the point sign is registered on the'record printingsheet. In this method of working it is possible by energizing the electromagnets correspondlng to the latch bars 846 and 847 to let the point sign be registered by any desired element, the registration of the superfluous zero signs in the hi her number positions denominations here a so being prevented in the following manner:

As already mentioned the second lowest J lockingl rod 832 corresponds to the value zero.

In eac element it carries a pin 859 (Figs. 5 and 6) which engages in the indentation 858 of the rod 831. When registering the value zero the forward movement of the bar 832 also permits the forward movement of the bar 831, but this latter can only take place, if in the next higher element the bar 831 is also released the bar 832 as otherwise the it is possible that a zero indication may have to be written in the element before the point,

and in the decimal system after the point.

For this purpose the T shaped inset piece 862 is provided which is wed ed between the lower special indentations o the latch bars 846and 847. When in any desired element the point sign is registered by the simulta- 1 neous lifting of846 and 847, the part'862 is sufficiently raised to retain the pin 863 of the rod 831 in the next higher denominational. element,- so that in the units a zero is always written. As the pin 8610f one element retains the rod 831 of the next lower element, the zero can be printed behind/the. oint si The line spacing mechanism ig. 7) or advancing the record sheet 867 (Fig. 4) corresponds to the arrangement of Figures '4 and 2, differing from Figure 4 only in that the parts required for zero registration are omitted, and'difiering from Figure 2 in the means for determining the spacing. In the arrangement shown in Figure 7, the forward movement of the writing sheet takes lace before the striking of the t pe 856 by t e hammer 866 (Figure 4). I .the forward moveinent'is only to take place after the striking movement, then, as shown in Figure 8, a toothed wheel 869 is inserted in between the toothedrod 870 and the toothed wheel 871 so that the falling of the rod 87 0 rather than the raising thereof by means of the bar 872, actuates the forward movement of. the record sheet. As in the first form of construe"- tion (Fig. 1), the ink ribbon 865 (Fig. 4) may be two-coloured, so that in the same column the different signs of the registrations may be indicated by the different colour of the printing.

The line spacing may be fixed, or determined at any desired size by either the sending or transmitting apparatus of the installation. This permits, inter alia, the use of continuous paper rolls from which the series of data registrations, of varying length, may be cut off. or of rolls which have been previously perforated to a prescribed size so as to be easily torn off in sections of similar length.

A single element of the printing apparatus can be arranged not only for a certain number of different numerals, but also for the entering of as many various wording, index, names ,of months etc. in the following man- .ner. The upper end of'the rod' 855 Figure 4, carries a cross arm, to which are xed the necessary number'of parallel running type chains 856, the types in the same l ne of these type chains form, for instance, the word to be registered.

Fromthe description and the drawings it will be seen that the apparatus is always mechanically separate from thesending apparatus transmitting the data. Consequently none of the movements of the parts of the apparatus is directly dependent on' the particular movement or position in the sending apparatus of the elements or counters transmitting the data or need coincide with such the data of the data forwarding apparatus is transmitted, the said means forming substantially the only connection between the forwarding apparatus and the printing apparatus, the said printing apparatus comprising a number of elements corresponding each to a given denomination and each comprising at least one electro-magnet cooperating with the said elements toreceive the electrical impulses correspondin to one denomination of the data to be printed, a series of movable types corresponding to the transmitted data, and adapted to be temporarily' stopped in the printing position by a corresponding electromagnet in such a manner that a number of the said elements may produce simultaneously the printing of characters corresponding to the different denominations of a datum, and means for automatically preventing the printing of superfluous zero figures.

2. In combination, printing apparatus, at least one data forwarding apparatus with which the said printing apparatus collaborates in the abstracting of statistical data, means producing electric impulses whereby the data of the data forwarding apparatus is transmitted, the said means forming substantially the only connection between the forwarding apparatus and the printing apparatus, the said printing apparatus com-.

' prising a number of elementscorresponding each to a given denomination and each comprising at" least one electro-magnet cooperating with the said elements to receive the electrical impulses corresponding to one denomination of the data to be printed, a series of movable types correspondingto the transmitted data and adapted to be temporarily stopped in the printing position by a corresponding electro-magnet 1n such a manner that a number of the said elements ma produce simultaneously the printing of c aracters corresponding to the different denominations of a datum and means for automatically preventing the printing of superfluous zero figures, and for automaticall producing the printing of zeros in the enominations following the decimal point should these zeros be followed by another figure.

3. In combination, printing apparatus, at

least one data forwarding apparatus ,with

which the said printing a paratus collaborates in the abstracting o statistical data, means producing electric impulses whereby the data of the data forwarding. apparatus is transmitted, the saidmeans forming substantially the only connection between the forwardlng apparatus and the printing apparatus, the said printing apparatuscomprising a number of elements corresponding each to a given denomination and each comprising at least one electro-magnet cooperating with the said elements to receive-the electrical impulses corresponding to one denomination of the data to be printed, a series of movable types corresponding to the transmitted data, and adapted to be temporarily stopped in the printing position by a corresponding electro-magnet in such a manner that a number of the said elements may produce simultaneously the printing of characters corresponding to the different denominations of a I datum, a printing sheet, and an additional element similar to the others, for producing automatically the variable and prescribed advance of the said printing sheet, in conformance with a variable datum received from the said electric impulses.

4. In combination, printing apparatus, at least one .data forwarding apparatus col laborating with the said printmg apparatus in theabstraction of statistical data, a single circuit for each digit of the data to be transmitted, the transmlssion taking the form of a succession of electric impulses, the said cir-- cuit constituting substantially the only connection between the forwarding apparatus and the printing apparatus, plurality of elements corresponding each to one denomination and respectively to one of the preceding circuits, each element comprising at least one electro-magnet adapted to receive the electrical impulses corresponding to a given denomination of the data to be printed, and a series of movable types corresponding to the data received and which are adapted to be temporarily stopped in the printing position by the corresponding electro-magnet, whereby a number of elements may produce simultaneously the printing of characters corresponding to the different denominations of a datum, the said single circuit for each digit being adapted to transmit the impulses for mallgelocking the locking rods and adapted each denomination. j to li rate them only afteractuation by the 5. In combination, rinting apparatus, at latch bars at definite times. least one data forwar in apparatus collab- In testimony whereof I have signed my orating with the said printing apparatus in name to'this specification. I

the abstraction of statistical data, a plurality I CHARLES BOREL. of ups of circuits each transmitting data in 5i form of a sin le impulse, the said circuits constituting su antiall the only conl0 nection between the forwar ing' app'aratus I 1 and the printing a paratus, -a plurality of elements correspon ing each to one denomination, and to one of the preceding groups .of circuits, each element comprising at least 15 one electro-magnet adapted to receive the 1 electrical impu ses corresponding to a given denomination of the data to be printed, and a; series of movable types corresponding to the data received and which are adapted to 99 be temporarily stopped in the printing posi- 5 tion by the corresponding electro-magnet, whereby a number of elements may produce simultaneously the printing of characters 7 corresponding to the different denominations, each grou of circuits beingadapted to transmit the igit for each denomination to a corresponding element in the form of a single impulse in at least one of the circuits of the corresponding group simultaneously with the transfer of corresponding di its 5 between other groups of circuits to the ot 181 elements.

6. In combination, printing apparatus, at least one data forwarding apparatus 001- laborating with the said printing apparatus in the abstraction of statistical data, a plurality of groups of electric circuits, each of which groups of circuits is adapted to transmit one denomination of data from the said forwarding apparatus to the said printing 106' apparatus in the form of a single electric impu se in at least one circuit of thisgroup, according to a code, the said circuits constituting substantially the only connection be- 45 tween the forwarding apparatus and the 110 printing apparatus corresponding each to one denomination and each comprising at least one electro-magnet adapted to receive the electrical impulses corresponding to one denomination of the "data to be printed, a series of movable types corresponding to the data received, and which are adapted to be stopped by the 'electro-magnets in their printing position, so that a number of elements ma 1 simultaneously. produce the i c 1 printing 0 characters corresponding to the difi'erent denominations of a datum, each element comprising a plurality of latch bars each of which latch bars is controlled by one of the said electrQ-magnets and controls a group of locking rods in such manner that for each of said groups but one of the said rods can act at a given time to hold one of the types inthe printing position, and cooperating means with each element for nor 

